Waking Me Up
by KatherineLily
Summary: Imprisoned beneath Volterra for centuries, her salvation lies within Edward and his family. Twists of fate and destiny-an Edward x OC story. An alternate universe story, sort of pre-twilight, rated Mature for future chapters. Chapters Merged!
1. Chapter 1

**~*Waking Me Up*~**

Imprisoned beneath Volterra for centuries, her salvation lies within Edward and his family, two of whom she shares similar abilities. Twists of fate and destiny...

Edward x OC story.

An alternate story.

Rated Mature for future chapters.

Chapters have been merged!

_**Link to the story banner is on my profile- hope you guys like it :)**_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, or any of its plots or characters. This is strictly for fun, no profits are being made._

_**~*Chapter 1*~**_

Noise...Chatter from the minds of people somewhere above me as I lay imprisoned below, my mind absorbing the noises they encountered in their daily lives and their innermost thoughts.

From person to person, my mind would quickly jump on its own. I didn't even have to think about it anymore.

Occasionally I would block the endless chatter to soothe my mind, but that never lasted long. I always had to send my mind back out and let the noise overtake me before the darkness did.

It had been so long since I had singled out one person and _listened_, sending my mind to a halt and separate the noise to something more distinct and clear.

The last time I tried I hadn't been strong enough. My mind let go and I was plunged into the darkness and I fell into a dreamlike state, something I feared far worse than silence.

But I was always so tired, so sleepy, so afraid of letting my mind descended into the darkness and silence that would overcome me much like the water of a lake as I slowly fell, my lack of strength weighting me to the bottom.

I was then forced to relive my memories in crystal clarity, over and over in a vicious circle, never knowing when the darkness would fade and I could float back up and grasp desperately to the slightest thought from above.

I would awaken dazed and confused, wondering how long I was asleep, for it could have been a few months or a few decades.

Just barely I would be able to hold my head above the water that is the darkness, but just barely.

It had been too long since I last fell and already my mind was starting to slip.

The noises and the chatter were fading and my mind was starting to feel heavy.

I have been here for nearly five centuries, lying inside a tomb deep inside the tunnels underneath the city, forgotten in time.

The mere thought of being trapped in a tomb for centuries without blood would send a shiver up any vampire's spine, because every vampire would know the thirst would be torturous, painful beyond measure.

The first few years were unimaginable and I was close to losing my sanity, I fear I did for a while.

Eventually the painful thirst became this numbing feeling in the back of my throat that would never be relieved.

I became weaker, each passing day until one day I was so weak I could no longer beat away at the walls that held me.

I became still...immobile, trapped inside with my own thoughts and those around me before I would become too weak and fell into darkness.

The endless cycle.

Throughout the years, that's how I lived, in the thoughts of others, for while I lay still I saw the world through their eyes.

And through their eyes I saw the changes in the world around me as father time left me behind.

So there I was, sleeping if that's what you'd call it, letting the voices of people's thoughts flow through my mind.

It was probably the only thing that kept me from going completely insane.

As my mind started to feel weary, the voices just starting to fade to whispers, I suddenly came across something rather peculiar.

It was enough for me to stay above the darkness as I tried to figure out what was so peculiar that my mind had picked up.

It was a repetition of thoughts that surrounded me, much like an echo, but it was so faint I couldn't figure out where it was coming from.

The curiosity was enough for me to concentrate, to narrow down where this strange echo was coming from.

My mind could only read the thoughts of anyone in a one mile radiance in any direction from where I was lying, any further I was too weak to reach out.

I scanned the streets, the people above going about their lives.

The echo becoming stronger, more clear as my mind made its way closer to the square.

Where was it coming from?

I continued searching. Jumping from person to person, trying to find the echo.

Then I found it.

Four people walking down a tunnel, a tunnel that looked vaguely familiar.

I focused harder, trying to grasp a picture of these people.

My stomach tightened when I realized what they were.

Vampires.

Not just any vampires, two of the Volturi guard.

Felix and Demetri.

I had grown to know this from several years of scanning the minds around me, and though I loathed the Volturi, my mind always ventured to them just to see how much they had changed.

Why was there an echo?

I concentrated harder.

All four of them were adorned with cloaks as the two strangers followed the Volturi down the tunnels.

Both were tall, one younger with bronze hair, the other blonde.

Expected guests, I gathered from the guards mind.

Then the strangest hint of familiarity was found in the blonde one.

He had been here once, several years before.

I only remembered him specifically because that was the day I discovered we could survive on animal blood and I had respected and admired his decision not to feed on humans as much as Aro had tried to sway him.

Carlisle, that was his name. Carlisle Cullen.

What was he doing back here?

I had watched him leave before when Aro had made him too uneasy, pressuring him about our natural lifestyle.

But he was never tempted. Never before had I wanted to meet someone so badly as I did him. I remember wanting to know everything about him, so many questions I just needed to know the answers to.

How did he do it? How did he have so much self control?

Still so many questions as I followed his thoughts down the tunnels with the Volturi.

The echoes started again. That's strange, it was Carlisle's thoughts that were echoed.

He was thinking about his family, but most of all he was thinking about his son, Edward. He worried about him, worried about Aro convincing him to join them. He was hoping Aro would leave them both in peace.

Why did his thoughts center around Aro?

I concentrated harder, trying to pick up anything that might explain why Carlisle was back, and perhaps why, with his arrival, I was hearing these repetitions. I knew by concentrating so much I would use up the very limited energy I had, but I just had to know why I was hearing all these echoes.

"_Protect the family, the less they know about what you can do the better. A brief meeting, tell them what they want to know, then we leave."_

As the thought echoed back to me, I could have sworn it sounded almost as if he were talking to someone other than himself.

What did the Volturi want to know?

His thoughts kept revolving around his family, particularly the one next to him, he was wishing he hadn't come with him.

So his companion was a member of his 'family'?

My curiosity then led me to the unfamiliar person next to him with the bronze hair.

Thats when I felt it.

Like an arch of static electricity I felt a spark as my mind touched his, sending a strange tingling feeling across my consciousness .

The echo was coming from _him_!

Then...as my eyes opened wide in shock for the first time in several hundred years, I realized what the echo really was.

I could hear exactly what he could, the thoughts of those around him.

**_~*oOoOoOo*~_****_~*oOoOoOo*~_****_~*oOoOoOo*~_****_~*oOoOoOo*~_****_~*oOoOoOo*~_****_~*oOoOoOo*~_****_~*oOoOoOo*~_****_~*oOoOoOo*~_****_~*oOoOoOo*~_**

I withdrew immediately, closing my mind off completely as I lay there in shock.

I wonder if he felt that strange spark I did?

I hoped not. I did not want him knowing I was here, not just yet. Even though I was dying to reach out to him, I couldn't run the risk of Aro being reminded of me.

He didn't know how to keep Aro from invading his every thought and the first thing Aro was bound to do would be to touch their hands and take in the contents of their minds.

I couldn't put myself into this newcomer's mind just yet, not just yet.

My mind started to feel heavy. I needed to stay calm, not to let myself get anxious or excited. It had taken almost two centuries of being motionless to gain back this limited amount of energy and I really needed to preserve as much of it as possible.

I closed my eyes, feeling myself relax, and I listened.

Careful to keep my mind from his, I reached out, needing to see more of this stranger, this member of Carlisle's family with an ability so like my own.

From Carlisle's mind, I picked out what I was assuming the reason they were here.

It started with a letter, Aro requesting that Carlisle and his family visit Volterra.

The only reason he could see for the letter was that Aro was becoming curious about him, and Aro's curiosity was something he seriously wanted to avoid.

I could see the internal debate that went on in his head, that if he didn't go Aro would certainly take offense.

He was prepared to go alone, but then Edward voiced his concern that going alone would also be an offense.

Carlisle had instantly stated that he didn't want any member of his family near the Volturi unless it was absolutely necessary. His great fear was that the Volturi would be intimidated not only by the growing size of their 'coven' but also by some of his family's abilities.

Edward insisted that he accompany him to Volterra, explaining that his ability would be extremely helpful for them to know what the Volturi were thinking and also to ensure their safety.

Oh Aro, what are you up to?

I knew Aro's mind was uneasy. With a slight peek I discovered not too long ago one of the Volturi guards had been in Denali, Alaska when he encountered Carlisle there visiting with a coven of his own.

With the exception of the Volturi, these two covens had been the largest number of vampires to live together, and it was this thought that made Aro's mind so uneasy.

As far as I could tell, Aro's intentions were to find out more about what Carlisle was up to all these years, but I wouldn't put it past him to try to convince Carlisle and his coven to join him.

I was glad to see Carlisle was very much aware of this possibility and part of me was relieved to see that his answer would be a firm yet courteous no.

I watched from Carlisle's mind as they entered the large circular room which held the three ruling Volturi.

"Ah! Carlisle. Thank you for accepting my invitation, its been too long my dear friend. And I see your diet hasn't changed." Aro said with a chuckle as his hand reached out for one of his expected greetings.

I watched wearily through the blonde vampires eyes as he accepted Aro's hand that would let him invade his mind.

I only hoped whatever Aro found there, he wouldn't pursue.

Carlisle's mind immediately shifted just before their hands made contact. Everything pertaining to his

family was pushed in the furthest reaches of his mind, as if he had hidden them away so Aro could not find it.

My mind started to ache a little as I listened to Aro. It was intriguing how his little gift worked, but also extremely dangerous to your innermost secrets.

What most people didn't know about Aro's gift was that even though it seemed he could take in _all_ the contents of your mind, he couldn't. No one, not even a vampire, could do that. All that information could make a person mad.

His mind searches anything relating to what he is looking for and summons them to his touch, almost like a chain bridging thoughts together in a complex web.

It was a challenge for sure, to effectively block Aro's mind from yours, but it wasn't impossible.

All that Carlisle needed to do to protect his family was hide them behind something Aro wouldn't be able to connect to.

Aro was disappointed, he couldn't find what he was wanting to learn, but he kept his disappointment well hidden.

All he had managed to learn from Carlisle was that Edward was his 'son'.

Now his eyes were on Edward and he was extremely curious.

"Why, Carlisle, I don't believe I've had the honor of meeting a member of your family."

"My apologies, this is Edward."

I could see how nervous Carlisle was, introducing Edward, as well as all the worries that centered his thoughts. He never showed one ounce of his inner thoughts or concerns, keeping himself collected even when his thoughts seemed to spin in that one moment.

Aro, naturally, offered his hand, which Edward accepted respectfully even though he was hesitant.

It was clear he didn't like feeling so exposed.

I wanted to see what was in his mind, what he was thinking, but I couldn't without him becoming aware of the echo, or worse, that Aro might catch it.

So I stayed, watching and listening inside Aro's mind.

Once again, my head ached, only it was much more painful this time.

Edward didn't have to hide his thoughts from Aro. The moment Aro touched Edward's hand, he knew immediately of Edward's gift and this threw him off completely.

"How interesting" Aro spoke in amazement, his eyes never leaving Edward. "You have a gift so like my own."

I listened intently to Aro's inner thoughts, looking for the faintest hint of remembrance of me.

My head was hurting and it feeling heavier but I needed to know.

All I could see was Aro's intrigue and possibility of Edward joining the Volturi.

_'You'd be a very valuable asset to us, if you wish to consider another family. Surely you must be interested.' _Aro's thoughts called out.

Oh I longed to see what Edward would say to him, but I didn't dare risk it. Was he considering it? From what I've learned about him in Carlisle's thoughts, surely he couldn't be, he seemed to be so devoted him, like a son to a father.

Suddenly I felt relief as he pulled his hand away politely. "Thank you for the offer, but I'm afraid I've grown quite attached to my own family." Edward responded out loud.

Aro was disappointed, of course, but he remained polite.

"Very well," Aro spoke aloud. "Might I interest you in dinner then?" I could hear the smile in his voice.

"I'm afraid we ate before we came." Carlisle responded, almost too quickly.

I could hear from Carlisle's thoughts he was a bit annoyed and disappointed every time Aro tried to convince him of straying from his alternate source of nutrition.

"You know, I tried your way for a while, this alternate lifestyle, just out of curiosity. I just found it kind of bland."Aro chuckled in humor. "My dear friend, I do hope you plan to stay a few days, who knows maybe I could convince you to reconsider my offer I made all those years ago."

"I regret that I must decline your generous offer once again." Every time I heard that I couldn't help but smile a little.

"Such a shame, though you are more than welcome to stay as long as you like."

"Until Sunday, I'm afraid I've got business back in the states."

Aro chuckled.

"It is one of the flaws of trying to fit in with the human world, Carlisle, but alas, it is your way," Then Aro inhaled deeply. "Ah, do you smell that?"

"Heidi must have returned." Caius, all but quiet the entire time, spoke.

"I'm sure you gentlemen have room for dessert, no?" Aro inquired.

I tried not focus so much on the familiar scent Carlisle recognized in the air.

Human blood.

The thought alone sent an unnatural excitement through me.

I focused instead on Carlisle's response. "No thank you Aro, we're quite content." He said with a smile, just as polite and just intent on keeping to his way of life as before.

But Aro wasn't concerned with Carlisle's response, he was more interested in Edward's commitment to the diet.

He thought if Edward strayed from the 'alternate way of life' as Carlisle put it, he would perhaps stray from his family.

He glanced at Edward as he raised a questioning brow, but Edward only seemed to hold the same strong opinion as Carlisle, shaking his head slightly as he declined respectfully.

"Very well." Aro said with a humorless laugh.

Suddenly I could hear the thoughts of humans that were only minutes away.

Tourists, unaware of their impending deaths as the Volturi I came to learn as Heidi, lured them down the corridor.

So many people...so much blood...

I felt my throat tighten, the venom on my teeth pooling into my mouth.

It's been far too long, but not long enough that I didn't remember the taste of a single drop.

I recoiled back into my mind as I realized my head was becoming foggy.

I needed to get a firm grip of myself if I had any hope of reaching out to this Edward, I needed all the strength I had to stay focused to do it.

I couldn't do that if my mind was getting heavier with each second that I thought about something I could not grasp, that I haven't had in over five hundred years.

It was probably a really bad I idea and I was only going to end up torturing myself, but something about the possibility of being able to reach out to him gave me a sort of peace.

Part of me, probably the most logical and sane part of me, kept shouting 'What are you possibly expecting to happen by reaching out to him? That they would risk both their lives, their family's lives, to go beneath the most dangerous city of our kind and set you free?'

_No_, I wasn't expecting that at all, I couldn't expect that.

I was lost forever to the world until Aro decided to release me, and when that would be I would never know, but at least I could do something while I was down here.

The mere thought of being able to ensure Carlisle and Edward stay as far away from the Volturi as possible was enough.

They may be vampires, but at least they tried to pretend to be human, tried to keep a firm grip on their humanity.

This was all I _could_ expect.

It was becoming harder to fight the darkness, I was starting to sink too fast. The thoughts, the voices, they were all become so faded I could barely hear them.

Just before I would fall helplessly into the dark, I took a glimpse at Edward's thoughts, even if it was nothing but whispers.

Before, I had been so focused on just Carlisle's and Aro's thoughts that I didn't noticed the thoughts of another certain Volturi.

But Edward did.

It may not have had that much of an impact on Edward, just a curiosity he would later inquire of Carlisle, but it was enough to keep my head above the surface of the dark.

It was enough for me to fight my thirst, to fight my desperation, and to keep my head clear.

Just before they left the circular room, Marcus had a very brief thought, more of memory really, of someone else who shared the same similar ability to Aro's.

It was enough to catch his interest, for sure, but before he could learn more, the thought had been gone just as expeditiously as it had formed.

He planned to ask Carlisle if he knew what it meant, when they were free to discuss it. It had been just a little peculiar.

I never wanted to reach out to him more than I did right now, to tell him just what it was Marcus had found familiar.

But I was just barely able to keep my head from the darkness. I couldn't reach out just yet, not without risking unconsciousness.

I forced every fiber in my being to just let go, my mind withdrawing from the world around me, floating just above darkness but not quite out of it.

Thoughts and voices faded and mingled together once again forming the hum I was so used to.

I needed to wait, wait until I was collected enough to reach out.

I just hoped I would wake up in time.

* * *

_**A/N: Please Read!**_

_**I went back and changed her name, just to avoid any confusion. I'm going to stick with it this time, I promise! When I first started writing this I probably had three names because I couldn't decide which one I liked best. **_

_**I'm awfully picky when it comes to names, its a curse.**_

_** ~*See that adorable little button there, just begging to be pressed and showered with love and affection? Press it and tell me how you like it!*~**_

_**Reviews are very much loved and appreciated!**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**IMPORTANT! Chapters have been merged! **_

_**This chapters contains Chapter 3 and the newly updated CHAPTER 4!**_

_**Highly recommended you guys go back and read Chapter 1, which contains what used to be Chapter 1 and 2.**_

_**Sorry for the mixup!  
**_

_**A/N: **I'm just not going to express how sorry I am, I probably sound like a broken record. I'll just go straight to the updates-_

_**-I** went back and changed her name, just to avoid any confusion. I'm going to stick with it this time, I promise! When I first started writing this I probably had three names because I couldn't decide which one I liked best. I'm awfully picky when it comes to names, its a curse._

_**-I've** also merged these chapters. I'm going to try to come out with longer chapters in the future._

_**-Also**, I know some of you have a few questions and I promise I will try my best to supply you with answers as the story progresses. I guess I could answer a few now, its the least I can do for keeping you guys waiting so long._

_*****The reason why this is an OC story is because I couldn't alter Bella's character to fit the character in mind, they're too different._

_I'm not crossing out Bella entirely though, but all I can say is-you're in for a few surprises ;)_

_*****All I can really say right now is that Chelsea's ability did not work on her because of her strange gifts. Telling you what she's capable of so soon would give it all away, sorry :P_

_*****I'm going to be honest, besides the real life junk and having a bit too much fan fictions on my plate, one of the major reasons its taking me so long to update is because of her abilities. I'm trying to make sure everything fits and it doesn't help that I've been changing my mind a lot. It took me a while, but I think I've got it down._

_*****I guess it wouldn't hurt to say she was seventeen when she was turned – little cookie for you amazing reviewers_

_**More** will be revealed as the story progresses, I promise. If you guys have any more questions, feel free to ask, I'll see what I can answer without spoiling anything for you._

_**-Thank** you so much for the reviews, story alerts and favorites. You guys rock my world! I can honestly say you inspired me to keep going with this. Hope I don't disappoint. Your reviews seriously give me the warm and fuzzies ^.^_

_**::Just a little warning::** This has not been beta'd so, please, forgive me if its terrible._

_***~Chapter 2~***_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of its plots or characters._

One of the things I both loved and hated about the dark abyss were the ghosts of my memories.

I have no doubt that if they didn't haunt me I would have easily forgotten I was ever human.

Sometimes its easy, when you're a monster, to forget your humanity. That one time, long ago, I had been lying carefree by the river, or reading next to the window in my father's studio.

It is always your family you forget before you forget yourself.

I could barely remember my own father, a gentle man I once knew for nearly seventeen years of my life that was now just a name and a face that my memories have reduced to muddled images.

I remember his paintings. They had been such beautiful treasures and I could always tell it was there he truly expressed his thoughts and emotions.

The way the brushes touched the canvas or the blend of colors he used, you could always tell there was something more to it.

He always tried to hide his pain and his loneliness, especially around me, but I always knew.

He was a lonely man, having never remarried after my mother died giving birth to me. But I could always tell, in the way he would use the colors to express the emotions in his work, like a dance across the canvas wish a brush of brilliant kaleidoscopic colors, just how much he missed her.

It was almost like with every brush, every color, every hue, he was talking to her, breathing life into his paintings to keep her alive.

I always loved to watch him work. It was one of my favorite past times, to watch and to learn everything about his craft as well as the love he put into his paintings.

It had been the memories like these that I held onto dearly while I floated around in darkness. But with cherished memories, the nightmares would always follow.

Nightmares like the day that I died.

I had fallen asleep while reading by the river not too far from my home. When I awoke, I found it was already nightfall. Heavy with guilt at knowing my father was probably worried sick about where I had gone, I began to head back to my house. I knew the woods like the back of my own hand, so walking back would not have been too difficult.

However, as I was walking I couldn't help but feel like I was being watched.

I wish now more than ever I hadn't been so stupid and fallen asleep, because then I could have returned to my worried father.

Sadly things didn't turn out that way.

I can remember the last few moments that I would be human all too clearly. I remember my heart beating frantically in fear from seeing the shadows as I tried to walk faster in the dark woods.

Upon hearing a twig snap somewhere around me, I burst into a sprint.

The next few moments were really hazy, mainly because my human eyes couldn't quite comprehend what had happened.

I was thrown against a thick tree so swiftly it was impossible to even tell where it had come from or what had caused it.

And then I saw him.

Even through the small light from the moon, I could see his red eyes and the smooth paleness of his skin. Somehow I had known the fingers gripping my face could easily snap my neck with one flick of his wrist and that was enough to freeze me in my place.

All I could remember of those last few moments of my human life was his teeth sinking deep into my neck and the fires that spread throughout my body as he slowly drank my life away.

No vampire could forget the pain of a transformation, even if they wanted to.

The fires that burned through me will always replay itself into my mind with my own screams reverberating in the background.

I didn't understand why I was still alive, why he kept me alive only so I could feel these fires engulfing me.

I would have embraced darkness during those three days, embraced it so I could hide from the seemingly never ending fiery pain.

At the time, I seriously thought I was in hell, but then I woke up and I realized I really did not know what hell truly was.

"_We dodged a bullet, Edward. We were lucky."_ I heard a voice that broke me away from the darkness of memories.

Edward. The darkened haze was swimming around me. Edward. It was getting darker, my memories threatening to come back. Carlisle.

_Edward!_

My eyes opened wide with a jolt, almost as if a spark ran through me. It took me about a second to realize I had been out of it for two days as my mind immediately opened up around me.

Edward and Carlisle were scheduled to leave in just a few hours. It was close, so close.

Something was different though when I awoke, something stood out more than usual.

It didn't take me long to find Edward, but I realized he was focused on something, listening carefully as the city echoed in my mind.

He was searching for a sound? His name. It had come out of nowhere.

Did I call out to him?

He was starting to notice echoes as he tried to pinpoint where it was coming from. He was curious and suspicious, wanting to know who called out his name.

My stomach almost felt alive, twisting and turning into knots as I kept thinking about a million ways for this to go. How would he react? What should I say?

I could hear Edward was still searching as the echoes became more pronounced.

It was now or never. Either I reveal myself or I don't.

What were the chances I'd encounter someone with a gift like mine again? Someone who could hear me?

Edward was listening intently now and it was time for me to answer.

"_Edward?"_I was still, more still than I have ever been in five hundred years as I waited for a response. I was so scared, already I could feel my body starting to shake, the most movement I've had in centuries. I was scared of what he would say, what he would do, of everything that could possibly happen right now as I listened.  
Edward's thoughts seemed to have exploded into a million things at once as he stood, so still, and confused. He knew he heard something but he wasn't sure.

Once again, I reached out. _"Edward."_ My mental voice was little more than a whisper, but it was more than enough for Edward to hear me.

He knew for certain he heard something, distinctly his name, but he was cautious and silent.

"_I know you can hear me."_

He glanced cautiously around the room they were in, wondering if there was a chance they were not alone.

Carlisle had taken a notice of Edward's strange actions and was instantly concerned. "What is it?" He voiced.

"Its nothing." Edward said to Carlisle, though Carlisle was no fool, he knew his son better than that.

"_Is something wrong?"_ Carlisle voiced in his thoughts. Edward heard the echoes once again through Carlisle's mind and my own has he inhaled sharply in surprise, his natural defenses taking over.

I could hear his every thought, and while he was more than extremely curious as to who I was, he was perturbed by the fact that I could hear his thoughts and was now trying to determine if I was a danger.

It was getting harder for me to keep a firm grip on this surreal connection to Edward, to keep my voice from fading into the millions of thoughts around us, but if I were going to desperately cling onto something with the last of the energy I had left, it was going to be this.

"_I promise...I have no intention...of harming either...of you. I just want to speak to you...I know you can... hear me, you can hear the...truth..."_

I could tell Carlisle's thoughts were really anxious the longer Edward kept silent as he considered my words, trying to decide the best way to proceed.

Deciding to finally ease his father's mind, he spoke aloud but so quietly that not even a vampire could hear had Carlisle not been standing right next to him.

"Someone is speaking to me, through her thoughts." He said, though his tone was uncertain and cautious.

"Speaking to you?" Carlisle inquired with concerned interest.

"Yes. She can hear us, like I can hear you."

"She has a gift like yours?" Carlisle confirmed, a little stunned.

Edward nodded, still a little dazed himself. He wasn't used to people being able to read his thoughts so easily, even the thought of it still unnerved him greatly.

"Well, what does she want?" Carlisle asked, wanting to know more.

"To talk, it seems." Edward was still considering my words, still extremely cautious.

"Why doesn't she talk to us in person?" Carlisle was puzzled, but it was a very good question, as Edward was starting to wonder the exact same thing. He knew I could hear him and he was questioning me.

'_It's not that simple…I've been imprisoned beneath the city..in a tomb…for centuries.'_

Everything faded out for a brief terrifying second, before I pulled myself back out of the darkness.

It was getting harder and harder, but my desperation was the only thing holding me above the sinking dark.

I could barely hold onto what Edward was thinking, but I knew his eyes were wide in shock. Carlisle voiced his concern in Edward's change of expression. "What is it?"

But Edward did not answer him as he held up his hand for Carlisle's patience.

_"You're imprisoned?"_ He thought towards me, the shock was evident in his mental tone.

_"Five...hundred years...The Volturi..."_

Edward inhaled sharply, he thought of being imprisoned for centuries greatly disturbed him, as it would any vampire. Centuries without being able to feed, the torture was beyond imaginable.

Carlisle's patience was growing thin with concern as he waited to learn what it was that Edward heard that could him react in such a way, so Edward repeated everything he just heard.

Carlisle's expression was extremely tense. Never in all the years he had been a vampire had he ever heard of a punishment so severe, especially to our kind. It went against everything he knew about the Volturi, mainly because he couldn't think of one law she could have broken to deserve such an obscene punishment. The only thing that seemed to make any sense as to why the Volturi would act so harshly would be if I were extremely dangerous.

Well, it was pretty close, depending on how you define dangerous and whom I was a danger too.

Edward was more than puzzled by my inner thoughts, I had forgotten we still shared a connection.

_"Aro considered me a threat." I began to explain, my words were slow and even so I could continue. "I was foolish enough to rebel against him, but with my gifts, he thought killing me would be a waste of potential. Because Chelsea's ability could not work on me, he knew I would never be loyal to him. Deciding that I needed time to reflect and see things their way, I was placed here."_

Edward listened carefully to my words before repeating them to Carlisle. They both knew, as well as I, that Aro could be a bit unpredictable and unreasonable when it came to things he wanted, case in point, the mysterious death of Aro's own sister.

I didn't even realize I could no longer hear Edward or Carlisle, or the words they were exchanging. The silent dark was trying to envelope me again and it was becoming easier and easier to let it. It was like trying to swim when your feet are weighted and your limbs are so tired you're tempted to just let it bring you under.

I was not sure exactly where I was consciously, somewhere between the dark and the light, where memories could still overwhelm me, but the voices were still a static in the air around me.

**_~*oOoOoOo*~_****_~*oOoOoOo*~_****_~*oOoOoOo*~_****_~*oOoOoOo*~_****_~*oOoOoOo*~_****_~*oOoOoOo*~_****_~*oOoOoOo*~_****_~*oOoOoOo*~_****_~*oOoOoOo*~_****_~*oOoOoOo*_**

I couldn't see, I couldn't hear, I couldn't feel anything.

I was at the mercy of one of the witch twins, Alec. Only he could take away all my senses, leaving me in a pit of darkness where I could not fight.

After what could have been forever for all I knew, I finally heard the sound of Aro's voice.

"You have no idea how much it pains me to do this, Liliana, you had so much potential."

I could hear again, but why was it still so dark?

"I only hope you will begin to see things our way."

Where had they taken me?

When my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I made out what looked to be a wall of what seemed to be stone just inches from my face.

I felt my surroundings and nearly panicked as I slowly learned where I was. I was in a very confined space made of walls of stone that surrounded me, the air was damp and smelled strongly of earth and decay.

It didn't take long for me to grasp where I was, and the thought was enough to send chills down my spine.

I was in a tomb.

I confirmed it through Aro's eyes, as he was sitting casually on top of my stone prison as he continued to speak down towards me while Jane and Alec stood a few feet away, his two childlike bodyguards.

Had it been a normal stone tomb and maybe if I had been fed recently, I probably could have beat away the walls without fail, however I realized Aro had not been that ignorant.

The stone coffin I was lying in had been reinforced with more stone and settled into the ground with a tomb built over it. It would take the strength of multiple vampires to pull the coffin free.

I growled as my natural instincts took over and I began to flail against the walls.

"Oh, I wouldn't do that if I were you, Lili. You'll use up your strength far too quickly, and trust me, I think you're going to need it. Been a while since you last fed, has it not? I believe it was three weeks before your little display, another three weeks down here. I bet you can already feel the prickle of thirst in your throat."

Now that he mentioned it, my throat was tight and it burned with thirst. It had been awhile since I fed last, six weeks, and I could barely go for three.

"Let me out of here!" I snarled, though it was more of a cry as I continued to try to beat against the stone walls.

"It weighs heavy on my heart, truly it does, but you've left me with no other logical choice."

Even though I needed no air, I began to breath heavily almost as if I were suffocating as Aro continued.

"I have no intention of killing you, Liliana. You know I adore you and it pains me you could not be persuaded to see things our way, however I couldn't very well allow you to roam free. Your gifts are too precious, too dangerous. Perhaps in here you'll gain some common sense."

"Go to hell!" I growled, using my anger and my fear to fuel the part of my new-found gift Aro considered to be so dangerous when it was used against him.

I had only barely, even with all my fueled concentration, managed to make him feel a slight twinge of pain before I screamed. My back immediately arched inside the small space as waves of intense fire consumed me. I cried and fought against the torturous pain of Jane's gift but to no avail, the pain was just too overwhelming.

After what seemed like hours instead of seconds or even minutes, I heard Aro's voice "That's enough Jane."

All I could do was sob as I felt the fires slipped away from me, but I could still very much feel the aftershocks.

"Well, that was foolish, don't you think?" Aro said, a little amused. "Now that I have your attention, shall we have a civilized conversation? I don't believe Marcus to be entirely accurate when he says you'd never be truly loyal to me, but I find the mind to be a very fickle thing with enough convincing."

Even through the stone walls and the earth, I could feel Aro's determination in his words. Then, my entire body trembled with the realization that he really was going to leave me in here, knowing full well the torture I'd go through without feeding. My throat was beginning to throb painfully at the thought as I let out a choked cry. "Please no."

"I think a year sounds about right."Aro continued as he hopped down from my tomb and started to follow Jane and Alec out of the chamber where I was entombed. "Let us hope Marcus is wrong, shall we?"

I could do nothing except scream.

_Liliana!_

_****__~*oOoOoOo*~_**_~*oOoOoOo*~_****_~*oOoOoOo*~_****_~*oOoOoOo*~_****_~*oOoOoOo*~_****_~*oOoOoOo*~_****_~*oOoOoOo*~_****_~*oOoOoOo*~_****_~*oOoOoOo*~_**

I was yanked back to Edward's thoughts, his voice pulling me out of the dark.

I could hear his thoughts loud and clear as it took me a moment to realize what just happened.

_"You were gone there, for a little while."_ Edward explained, but something about his thoughts were off.

Both of their thoughts.

Then I was awestruck as I slowly started to figure it out. I couldn't believe it.

Edward witnessed everything.

"Its a miracle she's still alive." Carlisle voiced to Edward in incredulity.

But Edward was busy thinking about something else entirely, something that involved dark tunnels.

I was having a hard time trying to figure out what he was thinking of as his thoughts kept changing from the dark tunnels to a drainage hole outside of a city.

Wait a minute, I thought in suspicion as my stomach began to flip.

He was thinking of the catacombs?

Then it all clicked together in my mind. He was thinking of getting me out of here?

It was enough to raise every hair on the back on my neck and near enough to make my heart beat again.

The true miracle was that I somehow found the strength to shout into Edward's mind;

_"NO! That is NOT a possibility!"_

I had missed an entire conversation from my lapse of consciousness, during which a very dangerous and impossible decision had been made.

From the moment Edward saw my memory there would be no going back.

The very goodness I knew I sensed in them from the beginning had already formed dangerous thoughts, and as he told Carlisle everything he just learned, that thought became more firmly planted in their minds.

It was a righteousness that could not be ignored and could very well lead to their deaths.

Even though my body was starting to shake with the possibility of hope, it was also filling with dread, because I did not want them to put themselves at risk for me.

But Edward's mind was made up as he stubbornly raked his fingers through his hair with an exasperated sigh, relaying everything to Carlisle."She's back...She just found out about our decision. She does not want us to risk it."

"It is not without danger," Carlisle agreed, but like Edward, he already made his decision and fully intended to follow through as he continued "My conscience as well as yours will be heavily weighed if we ignore this."

Their thoughts were interrupted by a light melody that was playing inside of Edward's pocket.

I recognized the metal device Edward held in his hand as a cell phone, something I have seen people in the world above me becoming more and more attached to these days.

Edward pressed a button on the device before speaking. "Alice?"

All this excitement was starting to pull me under, back into the dark. I kept myself above the surface but just barely as I struggled to keep a firm hold of Edward's mind. I could hear the faint sound of an almost bell-like voice on the other end of the line.

I knew the name Alice to be Edward's sister, the one that had the peculiar gift to see the future.

I wasn't sure if I should feel relieved or anxious.

Did she perhaps witness their deaths as a result of their dangerous decision? I could only hope she called to talk some sense into them before they ended up getting themselves killed.

However, this was not the case, I was astounded to learn. I continued to listen intently to their conversation as Alice's voice filled Edward's head.

"I can't even begin to tell you the number of visions I just had! I mean, one minute I'm looking out for you and Carlisle and the next I'm seeing you guys crawling out of a sewer, then everything just sort of exploded into this series of visions, and-"

"Alice, please, slow down. We apologize, but really, there was no way any of us could have seen this coming."

"You're telling _me!_" Then Alice suddenly let out a really deep calming sigh before she continued "This is going to be _really_ complicated-"

"So you're saying its possible?" Edward interrupted, extremely anxious to hear the answer to that particular question.

I knew from Edward's thoughts that if Alice saw it was possible then there would be no stopping them.

"You're actually going to attempt this?" Alice's voice was laced with surprise, something that seemed a bit out of place for one who could see the future.

I saw through Edward's eyes how he glanced at Carlisle, who could hear every word they were saying and how he nodded slightly in agreement before he replied softly "Its the right thing to do."

His mental thoughts made it clear that his response was intended for me as well.

_But its suicide!_

Edward however, ignored my thoughts, determined to see his decision through, to try.

There was a moment of silence, on both ends, before Alice spoke.

"Its possible, Edward. But I'm not going to lie, all the outcomes keep wavering. Nothing set in place because there are just too many possibilities, too many things that could go wrong even _with_ my help.

If you're going to do this, you will _have _to listen to me _very_ carefully, Edward. One wrong turn down there and- I won't even go into specifics, I'm sure you grasp the general idea."

"We understand."

I retracted from their minds, slipping away and back into my own as both dread and excitement filled me, the world becoming a buzz of static once again.

I couldn't listen anymore. I felt too awake, too alive right now to be calm enough to focus on keeping a hold of Edward's mind.

Edward and Carlisle were really going to try this, I thought as I tried to accept this possibility as a reality. They were really going to try to save me.

Too many emotions were coursing through me in strong waves; shock, anxiety, hope, fear, dread, the excitement most of all making my mind extremely heavy.

I hadn't realized I was starting to sink again until I stirred back up again at the sound of Edward's voice.

"_Liliana?"_

Even though it wasn't the first time he'd said my name, it was just now that I realized that I didn't know how he learned it, before I remembered- my memory.

I was seriously starting to relate to how Edward had felt earlier. After centuries of listening to the minds of others, it was taking some getting used to having my own mind being read for once.

"_If you are still listening, if there is even the slightest chance we could get you out of there, we are going to take it."_ Edward's mental voice was soft, but I couldn't tell if it was because he was trying to be soothing or if it was because I was so weak.

Once again I had to keep my thoughts firm and my words slow and even as I spoke out to him.

_"__You can't, Edward." _I couldn't even hide the somber tone of my mental voice as I pleaded, out of fear for their lives.___ "Please. You are both risking your life for a complete stranger. If I knew you would have even considered this I would never have listened to your thoughts in the first place."_

Edward was quiet for a moment, I could tell he was pondering something but I couldn't bring myself to listen in closer. My sadness was overwhelming me and if it were possible for me to cry, I knew the salty tears would be streaming down my cheeks this very moment.

Finally, Edward was speaking to me again. ___"Earlier in your thoughts, you were thinking about how you saw a goodness in me, just by taking a look into my head," _I couldn't help but to be puzzled as I listened to him continue on. __

___"Well, it works the exact same way for me. I saw more in those memories of yours than you might think, Liliana. There is a compassion inside of you that the Volturi will never be able to corrupt, no matter how long they keep you down there."_

It really was amazing how easy it is to truly know someone when you can read the other's mind, amazing and surreal.

What Edward and I could accomplish with our minds could take years for others. Because with just a few thoughts and one memory that had resurfaced on complete accident, he knew more about me in less than an hour than what could be achieved from a lifetime.

_"Edward," _Carlisle's words interrupted, but it gave me a moment to let Edward's words register.

While Edward had been talking to me, Carlisle had taken over the phone.

"Alice says if we're going to move, we best do it soon."

Edward nodded in agreement.

_Damn it all, I was not asking them to save me! _

_"__We know you're not," _Edward paused for a moment before I heard his mental voice again._ "____B__ut what if we could get you out of there safely, without them ever knowing?"_

As if such a way existed- I didn't even want to continue that thought. I didn't want to grasp that there was indeed hope in all this, in fear that it would only be a false hope and something far more terrifying would happen.

They wanted to help me.

They wanted to endanger their lives to help me.

Already I knew that they were different than the vampires here, and it wasn't just the gentle honey color of their eyes or their lifestyle.

It was something I craved for, ever since I first realized what I had become.

They were not monsters. They had the ability to adapt and _try_ to be human.

They had compassion for human life.

My resistance to the thought of true hope was slowly beginning to fade, and I was starting to let it fill me with its warmth. I felt it course through me, helping me to fight against the sinking darkness, keeping me afloat with its strength.

The darkness...I would never have to fear the dark abyss, never be forced to relive every memory, every moment of my existence.

I would be free, free to learn a new way of living, free to be at peace.

It was a chance I had always accepted I would never have.

"_There is some concern as to whether Demetri will be able to track you." _Edward's voice interrupted my thoughts.

Demetri. The Volturi's tracker.

Years of listening in to the Volturi's thoughts gave me a little insight to Demetri's infamous gift. The reason the Volturi greatly valued him was his uncanny ability to link himself to a target. All he needed to do was physically meet that person and capture their essence and then there would be no place that person could go where he could not find them.

If I could laugh right now, I'm sure I'd be hysterical.

It really couldn't have been more perfect, almost as if the strings of fate had woven my life's tapestry on the loom of destiny and delivered it straight to the stars.

Maybe I had fallen so deep into the darkness I was dreaming, or perhaps I've truly gone insane. Everything just seemed so carefully aligned it was hard to imagine it was real.

Because Demetri never got a chance to capture my essence...I had been imprisoned almost a decade before he joined the Volturi.

Another stroke of pure luck.

"Demetri won't be a concern, she was before his time." Edward said before their thoughts started to fade again, the very little strength I had was wavering.

"_Just listen to the sound of my voice."_ Edward encouraged, trying to keep me afloat.

His voice was starting to become the only thing that anchored me above the surface, his voice and the hope that was laced within it.

* * *

_**A/N: Thank you all so much for sticking with me, I fully intend on finishing this story now that I've got some issues with it out of the way. Hope you guys liked it, give me a shout what you think!**_

_**Also, I realize that things seem to be happening really fast, but she is kind of holding onto reality by a thread, so it would sort of seem that way. The important thing to remember is what can be accomplished by being able to read another's mind.**_

_**Just a reminder- Link to Story Banner on my profile- its who I see as Liliana, hope you like it :)**_


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